Amid the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Glencoe District 35 is considering three options for the 2020-21 school year including a return to classrooms, a hybrid model and continued remote learning.
With suggestions coming from a planning committee made up of community stakeholders and acknowledging state and federal guidelines, District 35 Superintendent Catherine Wang announced the possibilities at a July 16 meeting. The district is likely to announce the final plan in early August.
“We know we absolutely cannot completely remove all risk, but with all the steps we are putting forth in our planning, it is an effort to lower and mitigate risk across the different scenarios,” Wang said in a video posted on the district’s website.
Wang pointed to a June survey of parents where of the 573 respondents, 82% expressed a preference for in-person learning, 4% don’t want to send children back to school and 14% were not sure.
“While we recognize that the overwhelming response is to move forward with in-person learning, we must absolutely take into consideration everything that is occurring,” Wang said.
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If full in-person learning were to start up again at the district’s three schools, it would do so amid increased safeguards, according to Wang.
Inside the buildings, students and staff would be mandated to wear masks and social distancing of six feet would be stressed. There would an emphasis on hand washing and sanitizing.
Also required would be daily temperature and symptom checks. Anyone exhibiting symptoms would have to go home.
District 35 would provide families with a self-certification process featuring checklist of symptoms that will be initialed and dated on a sticker that children will have to wear when they arrive at school.
Finally, all lunches will be brought from home and would have to remain in students’ backpacks and eaten inside the classroom, Wang said. She added that lockers will not be used and drinking fountains will not be available, but some water bottle filling stations will be available.
The second scenario under consideration is a hybrid approach with students divided into morning or afternoon sessions based on their last names. When not in the building, students would be learning remotely. The enhanced safety precautions in the first scenario would be in place in this possibility as well, Wang said.
Wang said a hybrid option would allow for greater social distancing, eliminate lunch periods, would require less time for mask wearing throughout the day and allows for a deeper cleaning of the buildings.
Wang said this would give students a consistent schedule, which was a big priority for parents in the survey.
The final scenario under consideration is continued full remote learning that would allow a consistent schedule for the students, but with students moving to a learning management system in 2020-21.
All students would get an iPad for home access to learning programs and online resources.
“We see this as a challenging year, but yet an exciting year and an opportunity to think very creatively on how we meet the needs of all of our learners,” Wang said.
Wang said all three options may be in place as the year goes forward and parents can request a remote learning option by July 29.
She said a decision would be announced by Aug. 7.
“That will allow us … to consider local data, health trends and really make an informed decision about what is the best option for our community, children and our staff at that time,” Wang said.
School Board President Kelly Glauberman labeled the plans as “well thought out” at the July 16 school board meeting.
“We recognize they continue to evolve as we get more guidance but I think we are off to a wonderful start,” Glauberman said.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter.